Page 13 of The Riders’ Reign

“None taken,” she says.

I continue. “I think they’re here for Ledger. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Ace blows out a breath. “Yeah, that’s true.”

The other men in the room murmur in agreement.

“Of course, there’s one problem with that,” I say.

Ace gets it. “Ledger is dead.”

“Exactly. If they’re looking to do a swap, we’re gonna have a problem.”

“A big problem,” Phoenix adds.

“Which means we need to be proactive. We can’t sit around waiting. We have no idea how many men the cartel has here, or how armed they are. We can’t simply go rushing in, guns blazing. We could get Ghost killed.”

“I concur.” Phoenix nods soberly.

It’s so bizarre to be the one taking over right now. I’m a damned rookie, but these fuckers came after me and shot at Jack while I was standing over him protecting him with my own life. I think I’ve finally earned a say.

“No one wants these bastards more than me.” I swallow hard. “I was standing, shielding Jack when they were firing, and I was holding his wound when the paramedics arrived. I want them all dead, but if we don’t do this right, it only gets worse for us.”

“Are we safe here?” Saul asks. “I imagine they might be preparing another attack. What about the women and children?”

“We should get some men together and make sure the perimeter is fully guarded,” Ace says.

I nod because he’s not wrong.

Ace is leaning against a wall, his fingers laced with Camile’s, and every now and again, he gives her hand a squeeze.

She must be feeling so vulnerable knowing these people have potentially come for her. I haven’t said this out loud, but they might not only want Ledger. They might also want Camile along with him. The thought terrifies me. My gaze meets hers, and I offer her a small smile. The one I get in return warms my soul.

God, I’d die to protect her. Does she know that? Surely, she does, after what happened when we were taken? I don’t want her to be scared, because before anyone gets to her, they have to come through me and Ace first.

Camile swallows and raises her hand.

“Yes?” I ask her, a small smile tweaking my lips.

We aren’t in class now; she doesn’t have to ask permission to speak.

“What if they want me, too? I lied to Ledger before about the location of my family’s safehouse. They must know I lied by now, so they’re still going to want that information.”

Shit, I was hoping she wouldn’t have thought about that or be dwelling on it.

“They’d have to come through me,” Ace growls, his words mirroring my thoughts moments earlier.

“No.” She shakes her head firmly. “If they want me, I’d rather go with them, willingly, than cost you any more lives, or pain, or trouble.”

“What the fuck?” Ace explodes, and for once I’m with him on this. “No way. Absolutely not. Over my dead body.”

“Mine, too,” I add.

“Hell, all of ours,” Saul says. He chuckles deeply. “If the way the prez looks at you is any indication of his feelings, girly, every single one of us will lose our balls if anything happens to you, so that’s not a suggestion we can go with.”

Phoenix folds his arms across his chest. “So, let’s get more men on the perimeter. Crack open the weapons store, and once this place is secured, we make a plan for how the hell we get Ghost back.”

“The main thing we need to somehow know is the number of men we’ll be facing, and that’s not going to be easy,” I point out.